The First Warlord
by Vorpalitie
Summary: It had been a year since Gol D Roger's death. The Great Age of Pirates had begun, as buccaneers and corsairs of all stripes flocked to the sea in search of Roger's treasure, the One Piece. For Mads Shatterslash, the bounty hunter, that should have meant life was good. But Mads had his own dream, to find his mythical homeland Zou, and he was no closer to realizing it
1. Mads

Mads Shatterslash the Pirate Hunter circled, enormous wings undulating in the night sky. Not much disturbed him at 10,000 feet. The full moon lit the top of the cloud below him and gleamed off his saber teeth. He kept his hat low over his eyes.

These were the most peaceful moments. Being aloft at night was about the most alone one could be. Flying above clouds gave Mads nostalgia. It reminded him of the stories of his mother's lost childhood, spent high on the mythical back of Zou, the gigantic elephant. She had slipped and fallen through the clouds, nearly drowned, and had never been able to find her way back home. Sometimes he wondered if Zou was real, or a fever dream. He always stopped himself- no. He knew Zou was real. Someday, he would return.

In the meantime, he had work to do. Ever since he returned from the Sky Islands with Lobo, clouds had a double layer of memories for him. He had learned so much up there, had returned a new man. It was the greatest place his wings had taken him yet.

He would have made a strange sight if he had been visible from the ground. A gigantic Sabertooth, he had four wings, two large wings in front and two smaller wings at his hindquarters. Mads was not a griffin, though. He had eaten a strange fruit that gave him the power to grow wings instantaneously from any solid surface- his own body, someone else's body, a wall- it didn't matter, as long as it was solid. He could grow any size or shape of wing there was, and a few there wasn't.

Mads could see well in the dark even without a full moon. He owed that much to his sabercat heritage. The Mink Tribe, they called his people, because their fur coats presumably resembled Mink fur. It made for a tedious explanation for the swordsman on his crew, Vison, an actual Mink, thought Mads idly to himself. Then again, the Mink tribe rarely made contact with outsiders, so they probably had not anticipated that problem. Folks sailing the New World were used to the weird and wild, but an island on the back of an elephant still seemed like nonsense to them. Especially coming from the mouth of a pup, as his mother had been when she was scooped by pirates, nearly lifeless, from the sea so long ago. No one believed her. He had come to wonder it himself, though he had seen even more wondrous sights since.

Mads' thoughts were cut short by the vibration from his transponder snail. He picked it up. "Hello?"

It was Vison (pronounced like Bison), from the underwater team. The only response was two clicks. That was the signal everything was ready.

With the mighty warhammer/battleaxe Andor slung between his shoulder blades, Mads folded his wings and dropped into a stoop. He aimed for the edge of the cloud. As the cloud cover ended beneath him, he could see a secluded bay below. In the shadow of the cloud was his target, a truly strange ship, the Arquebus. An ironclad paddleboat that ran on steam heated with oil, cannon ports lined her sides. 42-pound guns- they could take a man's head off. Or a Sabertooth's head off, if it came to that. "Keep your head about you, and you'll keep your head" Sully liked to joke. Sully was a Stargazer fishman on the crew. For a species with such a romantic name, Sully was ugly as sin, and as mean as he was ugly. He was also not funny, Mads realized. But he had a crucial role: taking out the watchman on board the Arquebus. That role was usually split between Sully and Lobo, but Lobo wasn't necessary tonight, as no one was in the crow's nest because the ship had no sails.

On board were two main targets: Blagoon the Buccaneer, a rookie Pirate with his 244-million Beri bounty, and the girl he had kidnapped, Ilya, who had been lucky enough to have rich parents who were willing to pay Mads and his team handsomely for rescuing her. The first mate, Shrike the Butcher, was nearly as notorious as the captain, with a 192-million bounty. Also on board were Debs 'Bullwhip' and Eugene 'Bludgeon', the second mates, both powerful fighters with 120 and 80 million Beri bounties respectively. Mads could sense their presence, the whiskers around his handlebar moustache twitching. They had been tailing the ship at a distance for over a week, and with his Mantra, Mads had memorized the auras of the leaders. Bullwhip and Bludgeon were sound asleep below decks with the crew; Shrike the Butcher was in the quarterdeck cabins with the captain and the prisoner. Mads could sense Bullwhip was stronger than her bounty suggested. As Sully had grumbled when Mads recruited him into bounty hunting, "there are no easy marks in the Grand Line."

The ship grew larger and larger in Mads' view, the air whipping past his ears like roaring wind. At the last moment he spread his wings and braked his descent, landing gently on all fours on the iron-plated deck. Almost without sound, he thought to himself with satisfaction. An 800-pound cat was still a cat. He saw two googly eyes peering at him over the opposite bulwark. Two wet shadows clambered over the sides of the boat and joined him in the darkness: Sully and Vison. They were as comfortable in the darkness as he, perhaps more so. That's when they usually hunted. Quietly, they got into position. Sully twisted open the hatchway and disappeared belowdecks. Mads padded to the quarterdeck door and tried to open it. Locked. He unsheathed a claw. Simple locks he could often pick with a little patience. This lock, though, was far too small to fit his massive claw. It was closer in size to a treasure chest lock than the usual large door locks. He shook his head, unslung Andor. This was going to get loud.

Vison whispered "wait, let me have a try at it fir-"

He swung the hammer end of Andor into the ironbound door. It bent, twisted, gave way. Before it was done crumpling, Vison, snarling annoyance, was through the doorway like an arrow from a bow. It was his job to secure the hostage. Sully's was to head off the crew and keep them contained. It was up to Mads to take down the heavy hitters. He shouldered his axe and stepped through the door.

Shrike was the first to materialize, in her hybrid Zoan form, hooked beak open, ready to take a chunk out of him. He swung Andor backhanded, straight from his shoulder. The blunt end connected with the Butcher's head, and the Impact Dial embedded there sent shockwaves through the bird. It was a force multiplier Mads had picked up on his journey to the Sky Islands, and he had to brace Andor against the reverberations. Shrike hurtled away, splintering wood paneling along the hallway. He shouldered Andor again and strode calmly past her body.

He kicked in the door to Blagoon's cabin. The buccaneer had two pistols aimed at the doorway. Mads could see the flash of the gunpowder as the flintlock hammers came down. He lifted one finger. A steel wing appeared from Andor's handle, covering the space in front of him, and the bullets pinged harmlessly off. In Mads' free hand, Electro flickered from claw to claw. He readied himself to counterattack.

When he released, disappearing the wing into a shower of feathers, Blagoon was no longer there. The cabin porthole was hanging open. Blagoon was fast. Mads swore, leaping towards it. He couldn't fit. He whipped around, racing back through the quarterdeck. Shrike had disappeared too. "Blagoon got away. Watch out" he cursed into his transponder snail.

He sensed the attack coming before he saw it. He changed direction and dropped to all fours, the heavy blade missing his head by inches. Shrike again. That first strike should have put her down. He had heard of Zoans recovering quickly, but this was on another level. He would need to take another tactic. Shrike faced him, her face a mask of anger.

"I know you, Mads Shatterslash. The cat who hunts under a full moon!"

"I see my reputation precedes me, bird."

"You grow wings like a bird, but I hunt songbirds like you for fun. Shrike Song Strike!"

She tossed the butcher knife from her hand into the air. She transformed again, turning her arms into wings. With one powerful wingbeat, she was airborne, catching the knife in both clawed feet like a baseball bat. Another two wingbeats and she would slash Mads from navel to sternum. It was truly a terrifying power she had.

He flicked his wrist. Inverted wings appeared on her legs, beating upwards counter to her own rhythm, sending her crashing back into the deck. Cursing, she struggled to regain equilibrium, momentum sending her fluttering forward.

"I had this ready for your captain, but I guess you'll have to do. You're durable, you'll probably be fine." Mads slammed a Paw downward on her head, claws out, hitting her with a full force Electro shock. Electro was a gift the Minks had. Zoan type animals could not use it. He saw Shrike's eyes go blank as the physical blow and electric shock shorted the connection her brain had with reality.

"Stay down."

Vison radioed in. "I found the girl. She's fine, I think, but locked in Seastone cuffs. I'm getting her free now."

Mads burst onto the open deck again, glancing around, and slipped onto all fours, claws extending to catch himself. Someone had poured oil onto the deck?

From the corner of his eye he saw a shadow midair above him. It was Blagoon. Mads twisted, batting away a cutlass with four naked claws. Blagoon slid backwards, dripping viscous liquid. Oil. That was his power.

Blagoon was angry. He aimed a large-barreled device at Mads.

"So you come for me, Mads the Bounty Hunter?? I can assure you, there will be repercussions! Gecko Moria does not take lightly when his allies are attacked!"

Dammit, thought Mads. He chose his targets carefully, or so he thought. Blagoon was new to these seas and was supposed to be unaffiliated.

"You are a subordinate of that clownshoe rookie? Since when?"

Blagoon grinned. "Since we decided to rule these seas together! Big Mom, Whitebeard- these names will be meaningless after our conquests! Moria will be the next King of the Pirates- and I will be by his side!"

Moria had a powerful crew. A small bounty hunting team such as Mads' operated in a sea with few friends. It didn't help matters to stir up powerful adversaries- bad for business.

"Maybe we can come to a peaceful solution then. I leave with the girl, you go on your way. Her reward is nothing compared to your bounty, but it will at least cover my expenses."

Blagoon laughed, a smooth, deep baritone. "You think you can just board my ship, take my prisoner, and I would allow that? What kind of pirate do you think I am??"

"The foolish kind." Mads charged his claws again with Electro. "Your pride will be your destruction."

There were thudding noises from belowdecks, then Sully burst through the hatchway. He spun to face the opening, instinctive for a Fishman whose speciality was ambush. A whip snaked out from below decks, barely visible in the darkness, and wrapped around his arm. Sully braced himself against it, and a female figure flew up through the opening, spinning through the air, landing a high-heeled kick straight to Sully's shoulder. He groaned and swung at her, but she had already pirouetted gracefully out of reach. She cut a graceful figure, even in the darkness, a pale silhouette. Her nightshirt was open, revealing she wore no bra, and she was wearing no pants, only underwear. Somehow though, she still had bladed heels on, making Mads wonder if she slept in them.

"What happened, Sully? You weren't supposed to have trouble with those two." Mads joked.

Sully spat. "She's a Devil Fruit user. You ever try using Electro against a rubber woman?" His eyes lit up, and bolts of electricity shot from them towards Bullwhip. Sully was an unusual Fishman, one who could both generate electricity with his eyes, and had venomous spines along his arms as well. But Debs laughed at the blast.

"See?" Sully grumbled. "You didn't tell me about her power." The girl twisted her body, spinning her upper body several times while her legs remained planted. Then she released. Sure enough, she was made of rubber, which sent her into rapid rotations. On the fifth rotation she let her Bullwhip snake out. Her arm stretched out, and the Bullwhip cracked as it hit Sully's side with the force of a bat. He groaned in pain and doubled over. From the hatchway, a string of hastily armed pirates began to pour onto the deck.

Mads transponder snail chirped. It was Vison. "I thought you took down the Butcher!"

"I did! Twice!" Mads snapped.

"She doesn't look it" Mads heard the clash of steel in the background. Damn Zoan. Mads had heard of Awakened Zoans, who regenerated almost instantly. Shrike must be one of those.

Blagoon laughed again. "You have bitten off more than you can chew, Sabertooth." There was a whirring sound in the barrel of his weapon. "Gasoline Jet!"

A burst of flame exploded from the barrel towards Mads. Mads leaped into the air, growing enormous wings on his back. "Thunder clap!" The wings slammed together in front of him, sending a shockwave of air that repelled the flames. He hurled Andor, and heard a satisfying crunch as the blade hit the flame-blasting weapon, severing it in two. Falcon wings appeared on the axe, returning Andor to Mads' outstretched hand.

Blagoon glared at him. "It's time you see my true power."

Mads wasn't about to wait to see what that might be. Time to bring out the Ace in the hole. He charged his claws again and slapped his stomach. Lobo had been napping long enough. He felt the stirring in his abdomen.

A blue ball of lightning burst forth from his stomach, materializing into a glowing blue wolf. Lobo was a Devil Fruit holder who had eaten the mythical Zoan dog-dog fruit, model Raiju Wolf. This body was made of electricity, giving him the most powerful electric abilities of the bounty hunters by far. He could also hide in people's bellies, where he usually took a nap.

Lobo stretched and yawned. "What have we here?"

Mads pointed to Blagoon. "Blast him."

"Very well." Lobo reared back his head and howled "FIFTY MILLION VOOOOOLTS". Lightning appeared from the cloud above, illuminating the deck in blue light. It lit Blagoon up like a Christmas tree, and he burst into flames.

Debs Bullwhip backflipped away from another Sully attack and laughed. "Now you all have gone and done it."

Lobo's ears perked up in attention as he glanced at her. "Hellooooo nurse!" He exclaimed. Debs smirked at him. Her bullwhip snaked through the air again and cracked him right on the nose. He leapt backwards, yelping. "She can use Haki?? Hot mama!!"

"I'm a Kuja Warrior, you cur."

"There is no excuse for him, ma'am." Vison had appeared on the deck, the girl over one shoulder and a sword in the other. He was, as always, the picture of chivalry.

"He's nothing special. All you men are dogs." Debs dodged a static-charged water bullet thrown by Sully. A dozen pirates tried to surround Sully. He blasted three with his eyes and hit two who tried to grab him from behind with venom strikes.

Vison might have continued his conversation with the femme fatale, but he was forced to block an attack from Shrike, who emerged from the shattered doorway in a fit of fury. The Mink leaped backward, nearly slipping in the oil.

Meanwhile, Mads and Lobo had a bigger problem. Blagoon should have gone down from Lobo's attack. Instead, he was growing, and now he was on fire. Ten, twenty, thirty feet tall, a gigantic burning monster. He was dangerous; Mads needed to get him off the deck. The Kuja warriors weren't the only ones who knew how to use Haki. Mads coated Andor in the Color of Armament Haki, feeling the power of his spirit infuse the weapon. He lifted himself further into the sky, then dived towards the towering Blagoon, who was flinging fireballs at an amused Lobo. Lobo was having no trouble dodging, but there wasn't a lot of space on that deck and if Blagoon targeted the others, he could hurt the girl. The Sabertooth spun Andor in his hand. He would blow the fellow Power user into the water, where Blagoon would drown. No Devil Fruit user could swim; it was said the very ocean hated them. He sensed Blagoon bracing, saw the captain's own Haki harden over his body like a shield. Mads swung just before impact, gripping the warhammer with both hands. The Impact Dial amplified the power of the blow, and all of his 800 pounds of carnivore strength backed it up. It was less taxing to use an Impact Dial this way than held directly in his palm, but it still took strength to back up the blow. Blagoon flew a hundred yards into the bay before hitting the surface. Mads saw the water spray up around the fireball as he skidded even further.

"Lobo! Take out the girl!" He shouted. Lobo was behind Shrike in an electric flash. He bit her with teeth made of lightning and sent thirty million volts of electricity through her. She stiffened, went down again, and Vison promptly slapped the Seastone cuffs he had taken off the girl on her. That should keep her from using her Zoan powers to regenerate.

Sully, meanwhile, was getting choked by the Bullwhip from behind, a high heel dug into his spine. Lobo actually looked jealous. He was behind her in an instant, teeth on her shoulder, and Mads saw the thirty million volts go through her. She just looked annoyed, grabbing him with her free hand and slinging him into the quarterdeck wall with a snap of her rubber arm. Incredible, thought Mads- she hadn't even used Haki. Her power must make her impervious to the Raiju intangibility as well. Mads conjured wings on her back and lifted her off the ground. She dangled, holding on to the choking Sully by the Bullwhip. Mads threw Andor and cut the whip. Sully dropped gasping to the deck.

Debs pulled off a bladed high heel and sliced the wings off. Mads winced. The wings were part of his body in some bizarre way, and he felt that. His fault for not coating them with Haki. Pirates were pouring out from the hatchway like ants. Debs dropped to the deck and rallied them for a countercharge. Vison was surrounded, fending off a score of pirates with unflappable skill.

Mads slammed Andor down hammer side first, channeling Electro through it. Current spread through the metal deck plating in a wide circle, stunning pirates. Sully dragged himself to the bulwark and dove over the side into the water. In the sea, he could use his gills to catch a literal breather.

Shrike's bounty had been out of proportion to her strength, it would seem, whereas Debs was proving a real handful. Just went to show bounties weren't always indicative of real strength. His information had been dangerously incomplete; he hadn't even known she was a Devil Fruit user, much less one that made her impervious to their strongest electric attacks. There could be other dangerous members of their crew; Mads sensed over 200 auras on board, some of which felt strong. Vison, standing over the fallen Shrike and the frightened girl, found himself with a new opponent: Bludgeon, standing twice as tall as an ordinary pirate and wielding a massive spiked club. The Mink deflected a downward blow with his usual calm.

"Captain" it was Sully, voice raspy. "You might want to see this."

Mads turned. On the water, a huge fireball was building on top of a column of flame. No, not a fireball. It was Blagoon's head, rising from the water. But how? He was a Devil Fruit user, and therefore could not swim. Mads had seen him hit the water. Then he had a horrible realization: oil floats.

The gigantic creature, at least 100 feet tall now, reared back its hand. It was as if a giant had eaten the Flame-flame fruit. That giant sent a giant fireball fist hurtling towards the Arquebus. Was he crazy? The ship was ironclad, but the substructure was wood. Attacking his own ship was a huge risk.

Fishman are strong fighters out of water, but multiple times stronger in water. This was where Sully shined. He was proficient in Fishman Karate. He launched a stream of water at the fireball, intercepting it. It broke apart and fizzled just short of its target. The next one might land, though, especially as Blagoon was drawing closer.

Mads considered his options. Normally, he could just loose Lobo at an enemy of this level. Fifty million volts of lightning was enough to take out any but the very strongest pirates. Blagoon was no slouch, but he was still a rookie. It should have done him in. Yet, all Lobo's attack had done was to set him ablaze and piss him off. Oil is an insulator. Like rubber, must give him some protection from electric attacks. Mads could always abandon the Arquebus, give everyone wings and try to escape via air. That was risky, they would be vulnerable to those fireballs in the air and any pirates shooting at them from the deck.

He could have Sully carry him underwater to safety, while Mink carried the girl... no. They didn't have a way to breathe underwater, so they wouldn't be able to get far. Besides, he didn't want to give up the Arquebus or any of the bounties on board. So what was his other option?

He had to defeat the fire monster. And he had to do it quickly.

He felt a hand on his arm. Had someone been able to sneak up on him without noticing? His mantra, or Color of Observation Haki as it was known in the blue seas, should have alerted him. He turned, to see the hand stretching fifty feet, connected to Debs Bullwhip. She launched herself towards him. He swung Andor at her like a baseball bat at a fastball, but she curved her body over his swing gracefully, landing behind him. Rubber arms wrapped around his throat and rubber legs wrapped around his arms, immobilizing them. He felt the squeeze on his neck. Damn, she was quick. This was a blood choke, designed to cut off circulation to his brain. It was tight. He only had a few seconds of consciousness.

"Time to sleep, big guy." Debs whispered in his ear.

He fell backwards, slamming her onto the deck. She laughed softly. "That doesn't hurt me." Spots appeared before his eyes, and the edges of his vision went dark.

That wasn't the part that was going to hurt, he thought. That was just so he could use his legs. Cats, including sabertooth cats, are extremely flexible. It was nothing to kick up to his legs up to his neck and slice her forearms with 4-inch claws. Bullwhip screeched in pain and anger, releasing her grip before he managed to severe her arms completely. Mads felt disoriented as the blood rushed back to his brain. He kicked blindly behind his own head, scratching at her face and eyes. She let go of his arms and scrambled away. He got to all fours, still dizzy.

"Sully" Mads said, launching from the deck towards the monster. "Hold him off for a few more seconds!"

Sully was already on it, sending wave after wave to slow Blagoon down. Vison had ducked under a club swing and cut Bludgeon down, while Lobo had casually fried a hundred pirates. The remainder had retreated below decks.

"Lobo. Move that cloud."

In addition to his lightning abilities, Lobo had some limited weather control. The cloud was his doing. But there was another surprise in the sky.

Mads reached up. In the sky above, circling just below the cloud on Mads' wings like a flock of gulls, were 300 spears. He concentrated, extending his Haki through the wings to coat each spear. He sent twenty of them like guided missiles after Bullwhip. Then he sent the rest diving at Blagoon.

A golden eagle can, in a dive, approach 200 miles per hour. That's almost 300 feet per second. An arrow shot at that speed will go straight through a man. A ten-pound spear is 80 times heavier than that. Debs dodged the first several, but then one caught her in the leg. Half a dozen more pinned her to the deck. 280 of these guided missiles connected on Blagoon, wings vanishing just before impact. He reeled, arms waving like a wacky inflatable balloon. Mads hoped that would stop him. Instead, he reacted like a wounded animal, launching a continuous stream of flame at the ship. Sully met it with a blast of water from below, but the flaming oil was slowly pushing the water back. Soon it would hit the ship and envelope them all in flame.

The moon drifted into view. It was beautiful. Mads allowed himself to look straight at it. His pupils dilated, his irises turned red, a mane grew long and flowing around his neck. He felt the exhilarating madness rise within him.

He heard Vison shout. "Mads! No!! Don't use Sulong!" He ignored it. As a fellow Mink, Vison knew how difficult the Sulong form was to control. He had been the there last time Mads went wild; it had not been pretty. But that was only because Mads had stayed in Sulong for an extended period of time. This wouldn't take that long. Mads had no doubts he could beat the fire monster without it, but it might take a while, and that would put his crew at hazard. The lowest risk option was ending this now. He soared skyward, rising above the fire monster in three powerful wingbeats. The monster reared back a fist at him. He hurled Andor at the monster, slicing its striking arm clean off. Then he unsheathed his claws.

"Do you know how I got my name, Blagoon?" He roared.

When swung with sufficient force, a blade can cut the very air, producing a rift that travels until it encounters resistance. Mads could do this with his claws and saber teeth. In Sulong form, he could produce 12 concurrent Electro-charged slashes cutting across each other that could shatter whatever was in front of him. Sulong was a Mink in pure, primal form, not all that different from a battle rage. He called the attack the 12 Apostles of Death. But it also had another name.

He folded his wings and dove towards his target.

"MAD SHATTERSLASH!!!"


	2. Quake

Gaston "Quake" Riddell, leader of the World Government intelligence agency CP6, stared out over the harbor. It had been two weeks since he had arrived in Arkania. It was a peaceful town by Grand Line standards, set a half mile inland on a broad, placid river. That hadn't kept the Arquebus from sailing in 16 days ago and proceeding to loot and burn, kidnapping one of the richest citizens' daughter in the process. That man had friends in very high places, leading to CP6 being deployed to Arkania to deal with the problem. However, for the past two weeks 'Quake' has elected to do nothing, simply sitting and waiting.

He had a very good reason. Mads Shatterslash the Sabertooth, perhaps the most renowned bounty hunter in the entire Grand Line, had already taken his team in pursuit. Against a pirate of Blagoon's caliber, Riddell has no doubt he would succeed. Blagoon was a powerful rookie, but he was still a rookie. So Riddell waited.

Ever since Gol D. Roger's execution in Loguetown a year ago, pirates had been flooding into the Grand Line in pursuit of his fabled treasure, pursuing adventure and bringing chaos. That may have been a boon to bounty hunters like Mads, but the Navy, traditionally tasked with capturing pirates, had been overwhelmed, resulting in considerable Cipher Pol resources being diverted to quell pirates. The knock-on effect was that there were less resources devoted to Cipher Pol's core tasks, which were quelling dissent and suppressing threats to the World Government.

Gaston had an idea for a solution, which he had been pitching to the higher ups. The dilemma was funds; no king wanted to increase their tax burden to pay for a bigger Navy, yet they all wanted the Navy to help protect their land from pirate incursions. Quake's idea was simple: get pirates to hunt their own, and grant them legal protection to do so. This was a controversial idea. Mads would be a perfect proof of concept. He was not a pirate; he had managed to toe that precarious line for many years. There was a reason the Grand Line didn't have many high-profile bounty hunters. One slip up, one fight at a bar with the wrong person, one dispute with the Navy, or even just a jealous Marine captain deciding to flex their authority, and a pirate hunter would be branded a pirate forever, unable to hunt. Mads managing to avoid this fate was all the more impressive because he was a literal monster, a scary carnivore with 8-inch fangs, raised by pirates. The world was a hostile place for someone like that; Mads had no doubt faced a lot of discrimination from fearful and ignorant humans. Quake knew for a fact several slave traders had tried to kidnap him; all of them were dead now. A man judicious enough to avoid getting his own bounty would be the perfect stepping stone to legal amnesty for actual pirates.

Having made a name for CP6 in his home ocean the West Blue, Quake had been given carte blanche to pursue whatever strategy he felt necessary to solve the pirate problem. He had started by assembling a crack team, recruiting from other Cipher Pol units. He had assembled a crack team, appropriately with 6 members.

Streling "Sidewinder" was the only original CP6 agent Quake had held onto. She had mastered the Six Techniques of Rokushiki. She was also an expert in the use of a new gun recently invented in the West Blue, the revolver. Her Color of Observation Haki bordered on precognition, and combined with her training to make her an excellent shot with both hands, as she instinctively aimed where a target would be, rather than where they were. She could model chaotic situations and predict trajectories of bullets and enemies, as well as perceive someone's intentions. Quake had watched her shoot two men behind her while draining a glass of whiskey.

Slade Coburn from CP7 had been the first person Quake had recruited. Renowned as the best swordsman in Cipher Pol, Slade was an old veteran, who had once famously bested now-Fleet Admiral Kong in a duel when Kong was a Navy captain. He was a master of the two-sword soft style, using skill instead of raw strength or speed. He looked utterly effortless, relaxed even, yet his blade always seemed to get there in time. On the defensive, he was able to avoid his opponent's sword by millimeters, expending minimal energy. On offense, his style involved long sequences of slashes, seemingly just touching swords, but then in the middle of a sequence some of his strikes would hit with unexpected force, breaking his opponent's concentration. When they became flustered and began to swing back with power, Coburn would take advantage of the openings and slowly but surely cut them to ribbons. The full beauty of this style was only shown against the most skilled opponents, however. Most fell to a single fluid blow, dead before they realized what happened.

Aleksandar Rakic of CP1 was a prodigy with a boomerang, and had two bandoliers of them slung over each shoulder at all times. Proficient in both Color of Observation and Color of Armament Haki, he could crack stone with his boomerangs and hit a flying sparrow at 30 yards. Hailing from the South Blue, he was 9 feet tall, and perpetually shirtless.

Volkan Oz of CP3 was a member of the long-armed tribe and a marksman with his high-powered slingshot. He took full advantage of its flexibility to fire specialized projectiles, including bombs, rockets, shurikens, and trick shots. He once shot a sling-powered bullet straight through a waiter's torso to shatter a poisoned glass before it could be served to a Celestial Dragon. So precisely was the shot calibrated that the glass only shattered halfway, leaving the waiter soaked with blood and poisoned champagne, but the Celestial Dragon completely untouched. Oz was also an accomplished boxer, using his long arms to hook around an opponent's guard.

DC of CP0, known only by his initials, hadn't been a recruit, rather a suggestion from Quake's superiors. Quake didn't fully trust him, but he couldn't deny the man's mysterious ability had been useful. Whether Devil Fruit or natural gift, Riddell didn't know, but DC had the ability to project his senses infinitely far in any direction while asleep or in a trance. It was different than the Glare-Glare Fruit Quake had read about; DC couldn't actually see through anything. Instead, he could project an avatar forward on an astral plane through any obstacle, infinitely far. He couldn't turn his line of sight, which was always oriented in a straight vector from his physical location. Wherever his avatar was, there he could use his full range of senses (except touch), including Haki. Originally, he told Quake, he had only been able to use the ability in dreams; now, after intense training, he could enter a trance at will.

DC had located the Mad Pirates on the third day. They were well behind Blagoon and company, more than three miles, yet seemed to have no trouble tracking them. DC suspected this was because one of the group, Lobo, had incredibly sensitive observation Haki, the most developed DC had ever seen. At one point DC even thought Lobo might have sensed his avatar, which was, of course, impossible.

Now, DC told Quake, they were finally back at Arkania. Riddell raised his binoculars. Sure enough, that odd ironclad ship was chugging upstream. Vison, the weasel swordsman, was at the wheel. A white flag flew instead of Blagoon's Jolly Roger; below that flew the Mad Pirate Hunters' ensign, a Sabertooth face over a full moon with wings on each side.

"That's a cute ferret" Streling Sidewinder, who had stepped up beside him, murmured. Like him, she wore a black cowboy hat in place of the usual Cipher Pol fedora. The only difference in their attire was that her shirt was open, showing generous cleavage, and she had two Mateba Sei Unica revolvers on her hips instead of just one. They both wore white shirts with black vests, and black slacks over black boots and a bolo tie.

Quake put the binoculars down. Suddenly excited, he punched the air in front of a boulder. The boulder cracked, shattered in front of his fist. When he was 5, Mads had witnessed the great Whitebeard in action; ever since, he had been obsessed with the Quake-Quake power. Unable to obtain the Devil Fruit itself, he searched for a way to replicate it. He studied the Hasshoken martial arts style of the Happou Navy, eventually combining it with the physical power of Rokushiki to mimic Whitebeard's ability. He couldn't create tidal waves or destroy whole islands, but by vibrating advanced Color of Armament Haki around his fist, he could send shockwaves through the air, water, or ground. The ability served him well; after cleaning up the seas of the West Blue, he had been given this assignment at the tender age of 22.

He strode into the red house where they had made their base for the past two weeks. He called to Streling over his shoulder.

"I'm headed to the harbor. You're in charge until I get back."

Marines and town officials were scrambling to keep order at the dock. The Marine captain was barking orders to put together a boat crew. After a brief conversation with the man, Quake placed himself on the boat with a contingent of marines, the merchant whose daughter had been kidnapped, and his wife. They rowed to the Arquebus, which gleamed dully in the late morning sun.

Riddell boarded the sloping sides just behind the captain and the merchant, lifting himself up the ropes with the exuberance of young athleticism. As he crested the deck he got his first glimpse of the infamous bounty hunters.

Vison was the first he saw. At just under 6 feet tall, the weasel was as tall as a man, slim, but wiry, with powerful shoulders. Vison was a legendary sword fighter, one hand- paw?- on the hilt of his rapier, but Quake could see why Streling called him 'cute'.

He turned to see Mads rising from the deck, towering over the ordinary humans. He was twelve feet tall, all muscle, with the lithe power of an oversized wrestler. Seeing Sabertooth skeletons in royal courts or museums, as Riddell had, did not prepare one for the real thing. He remembered that their bones were thicker and heavier than other cat bones, almost like digging animals; his powerful frame matched that expectation. The massive cleft chin protected eight-inch saberteeth, but it was the eyes that stood out. Quake had hunted lions; they had the same aloof, unconcerned look in their eyes. Mads was a natural-born killer.

Vison and Mads

Vison guided the Arquebus into the harbor. Sully was recovering from his wounds below decks. Lobo was also below decks, but not resting. The reserve oil had run out after three days, but Lobo had figured out he could heat the steam with electricity, so he had been doing that, and was also experimenting with steaming whatever food he could get the crew to bring him. Lobo loved to cook, mostly to experiment with different recipes, even if he wasn't especially good at it. The pirates were thoroughly cowed after their leaders were defeated, so they had given no trouble.

Mads had fallen asleep for nearly 24 hours after Lobo covered the moon with the cloud again to stop his Sulong form. He awakened to devour a huge meal of fish that Vison caught. Now he relaxed, stretched out full-length on deck soaking in the morning sun.

There were three prisoners- Bludgeon had died shortly after the battle. Bullwhip had miraculously been able to twist and stretch her body to avoid the spears piercing any vital organs, Shrike was somehow still alive, and Blagoon was wrapped in bandages head to toe. All were in Seastone cuffs to keep them from using their powers, and tightly chained.

Vison looked over at Mads. He and the Sabertooth had met four years ago. Vison had been working as an elected sheriff for a small town in the mountains. The town accepted him, which was more than he could say for most places- in his youth, stricken by wanderlust, he had drifted from isle to isle, living by his sword. He took bodyguard jobs, swordsmanship tutoring to rich nobles' sons, hosting classes (and later seminars) for dozens of students. He took jobs guarding merchant ships from pirates, gigs at various dojos, bouncing at bars, mercenary work for various petty kings, and of course, bounty hunting. No matter where he was, he sought out the local swordmasters, training under them, swapping lessons with Marines on ships, dueling with the most skilled pirates he could find in various ports. On the mats, training with the blade, there existed a sacred tolerance. On the mats everyone wielded the same steel. It was one of the reasons Vison loved swordsmanship.

'Bucktooth Cat!'

Mads opened one eye, squinting at the Mink.

"You talking to me, Stoat?" It was a running joke to misname the other; Mads, as one of the rarest ancient Mink species, got called a lion or tiger constantly, and no one even knew what to call Vison; he got everything from Weasel to Wolverine.

"Why did you show our enemy your Sulong form two nights ago?"

"I had to. He could have destroyed the ship or hurt the hostage."

"You didn't need to. You could have taken him down without that. And what was with our bad information? It was lazy of us to miss that one of their top users had eaten a Devil Fruit. We didn't do our homework on this one. And you let that Rubber girl nearly choke you out. That was careless." Vison frowned ever so slightly. "You wanted to use Sulong." Mads began to growl in protest, but Vison continued. "You want to know what I think? I think you miss facing more powerful enemies. You miss having a real challenge in front of you. You miss the thrill of a hard fight. We all do." He looked down at the hilt of his sword, Malgré, or 'Evil Grace'. "It's been a while since we faced someone on our level."

Mads yawned, his mouth opening to an absurd degree, 8-inch fangs glinting in the sunlight. His powerful cleft jaw, massive to protect his sabers, slammed closed abruptly. "There is no need to go after more powerful pirates. How much reward money do you need? When I met you, you were subsisting on raw fish and sleeping on hay to protect those villagers. Now we sleep in feather beds and our fish are seasoned with exotic spices."

"It's not about the money, Mads. My creed demands I challenge myself."

"Your creed. The 8-fold Swordsman's Path. Yes. Well, my creed demands I keep my crew safe. Imagine if our information had been wrong, but our foe had been someone powerful? We might have been in real trouble."

"Safe for what? Life is more than floating along, Mads. One needs a clear goal to strive towards. That's the first mantra of the eightfold way. I don't know what we are striving towards any more. We couldn't find Zou, and it is as if you have given up."

Mads was silent. Vison was right. Zou was legendary kingdom of Minks, the one both their parents had told them about: a land of their own, a place where they would not be outsiders. It had been both their dream to find since childhood. There were few Minks in the world, isolated enclaves of a few dozen scattered across the six seas. On Zou, though, Minks were said to be as many as a hundred thousand strong. Mads' mother told him the story many times of falling from Zou, abused by pirates as a child, and eventually finding his father, a panther Mink, living on his own in a cold, almost uninhabited island in the North Blue. To Vison, it had always been just a legend he longed for, a tale Minks told themselves, land that might not even exist. A place where he would belong, a place where he would not be a monster. No matter how hard he worked to be unthreatening, no matter how many outlaws he took out, the world saw him as a monster. He could see it in the eyes of parents, clutching their children closer when he walked by. He could see it in every Marine that followed his progress with suspicious gaze. He was tired of it. He had been for a long time.

Zou might not even exist anymore, if it ever had; Mads couldn't avoid this possibility, as much as he wanted to believe. They had searched the seas far and wide. Mads had eaten the Wing-wing devil fruit for the express purpose of making the search easier. Their journey had taken them to the sky islands, where they met Lobo, and to the depths of Fishman island, where they had recruited Sully. But there had been not a trace of the legendary island on the back of a giant elephant. For the past several months Mads had been pondering something.

"I'm thinking of disbanding the crew."

Vison stared at him. "You can't be serious. We are the perfect team!"

"Yes, you are. And we've had a memorable voyage together. But I think our goals are just crossways now. Think about when we first came to these seas. We were unknown rookies in search of adventure and fortune, and the challenges were enormous! We had to navigate waters filled with pirates stronger than us. We were small and the world was big. Now we are strong, and we are rich. There is no need to challenge ourselves with the most powerful pirates when the sea is full of rookies with fat bounties. Nevertheless, someone will eventually decide we are too much of a threat to ignore- sooner or later we will find ourselves face to face with a pirate crew out to avenge their allies, and one of us will die. Did you know Blagoon was allied with Gecko Moria? Neither did I. And we will only accumulate more enemies like this as time goes on. Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Then too, how much longer can we stay in these seas and avoid the wrath of the Navy? Sooner or later they will slap a bounty on us, no matter how careful we are. If we stay in the Grand Line long enough, we will end up wanted men, or worse, slaves of the Gorosei. The world still regards us as monsters; that will never change, no matter how many pirates we save them from. Face it, Vison, we accomplished what we came to these seas to accomplish. The reward has been earned, thrill of the hunt is gone, only the risk remains. It's time for us all to go home."

"We never found Zou. Our dream remains!"

"My dream remains."

"I am a Mink too, Mads. Zou is my ancestral homeland just as it is yours."

"If it even exists. We have had no confirmation, not a single scrap of evidence in our entire journey, only the legends our ancestors told us. Maybe once it did exist, but who knows. And yes, I know Zou would be your homeland, but your swordsmanship is your true passion. You are a wanderer. You always have been. Your home is wherever you hear the clash of blade on blade."

Vison was silent for a moment. "Even a wanderer longs for a home, Mads. Besides, we are friends, you and I."

"When the war is over, the soldiers go home. Maybe it's time to recognize that our war is over."

Vison was troubled. This was unlike the Mads he knew, yet he couldn't deny the captain had a point. They were wildly rich. They had come a long way since they set out from the North Blue so long ago. There was another option, of course: to become pirates themselves, to build an outlaw empire and acquire territory, but Vison knew better than to mention that. Mads hated piracy.

They were in the center of the harbor now. Vison radioed down to Lobo to halt the engine, disconnected the paddle wheels and dropped anchor in the bay. Then he waited. The strange ironclad ship, which two weeks before had terrorized the town, its crew looting and burning before taking off with the rich man's daughter as hostage, was now flying a different flag, the Mad Bounty Hunters flag. It was a Sabertooth face over a full moon, with a lightning bolt across the face and wings on each side. Vison wondered if it had seen its last voyage.

Sure enough, the arrival of the ship caused a huge stir in the town. Lobo and Mads joined Vison on the deck, and they sat back and waited. After a little while, a longboat rowed out to meet them, with a Navy Captain and several of the leading townsmen on board, including the father of the kidnapped girl, Ilya. He burst into tears when he saw her and they embraced. Vison smiled; it wasn't often in this job that one saw nice moments like that. The Navy captain approached them.

"We'll take the pirates from here."

Mads held up a paw. "Not so fast. I'll need to see the coin first."

The captain sputtered. Navy men often disliked bounty hunters, especially ones that could do their job better than they could.

Another figure from the boat put his hand on the captain's shoulder. "It's alright, captain." He turned to Mads. "Bring the prisoners to the red house on south of town, we have their bounty there. We've been expecting you." He extended his hand. "Gaston Riddell, of CP6. Nice to finally meet you."

Gaston "Quake" Riddell? A member of the World Government intelligence unit Cypher Pol 6, Vison had heard of him by reputation, but had never met him in person. One could immediately see the man was strong. Rumor said he could replicate Whitebeard's Quake-Quake Powers with pure Haki, albeit on a lesser scale.

He was wearing a cowboy hat instead of the usual Cypher Pol fedora, a dress shirt with bolo tie, sleeves rolled up, black vest that accentuated his broad shoulders and slim frame. Black slacks fitted over black boots, and he was missing the usual suit jacket worn by CP9. Strapped to one hip was a revolver, a new pistol from the West Blue- Vison had heard about them but never seen one. His face was angular and tan, sporting a relaxed grin.

Mads regarded the outstretched hand but made no move to reach for it. "What is Cypher Pol doing in Arkania?" Typically, the Navy paid out bounties on behalf of the world government, not Cypher Pol.

Riddell dropped the hand, but kept his easy smile. "We heard about the raid, and we knew you would be back after the full moon. We are very impressed by your work. In fact, CP6 has a proposition for the Mad Bounty Hunters."

"We are doing just fine, thanks."

Riddell's smile widened. "We have something better than money. I'm sure you'll be interested. Of course, we will pay you the 80 million for the dead body you have right now, plus the ten million for the girl, of course." He snapped his fingers to the boat crew, who began hauling sacks of coin onto the ship. Quake turned to leave. "Bring your whole crew and the prisoners. The red house, south side of town. Be there by sunset, now!"

The longboat crew had already unloaded the ten million berries for Ilya's ransom onto the ship, which Sully was greedily counting. Vison wondered how CP6 knew Bludgeon had died. Lobo, whose Devil Fruit enhanced his Color of Observation Haki to ridiculous extremes, should have noticed if they were being followed.

He wondered what Riddell had that he would want. Either way, the CP6 agent had their money.


	3. Slade

Slade Coburn was leaned back his his chair, boots crossed on another chair, white cowboy hat tipped down over his eyes. He was napping. Streling 'Sidewinder' reached for one of the big Mateba revolvers on each hip. Before she cleared leather, he had whipped one of the two katanas he wore out of its sheath and had it pointed at her chest in a single fluid motion.

He pushed up a corner of his hat and gazed at her from one half-closed eye. "I keep telling y'all, that won't work on me."

It was true, a running game among the CP6 members had been to try to surprise Slade or catch him off guard. So far no one had succeeded. Even in a straight up speed draw, the 68-year-old was just about the fastest in the group, which said a lot, considering Sidewinder had a reputation as the fastest gun in the West Blue. But sword to gun, they had tested it time and again, each standing beside a wooden pole target opposite the other. At 20 paces, Slade's rankyaku sword slash beat Volkan's slingshot, Rakic's boomerangs, and Quake's fastest draw. He and Sidewinder's Haki-infused bullets reached the target within milliseconds if each other. Some days she won, some days he won.

The legendary Slade had been semi-retired when Quake recruited him, teaching young Cipher Pol trainees to integrate their Rokushiki with swordsmanship. The reason he let the young CP6 leader talk him into returning to field work was simple: he was bored.

Quake was in the anteroom, pacing, awaiting the arrival of the bounty hunters. Their young leader hadn't, reflected Slade, fully learned the art of resting in the midst of chaos. It was an art Slade knew well. Resting was meditation, allowing for an empty mind and relaxed blade once there was a need for it. A tense person was a slow person. Everyone had their own rituals, of course. Rakic was practicing throwing his boomerangs out back. He would spin and throw three, all at different trajectories, then use Soru to dart and catch all three. Volkan was tinkering with his slingshot. DC was in the back room, shades drawn, legs crossed in his meditative trance. He could be anywhere within 1,000 miles, but probably was watching the bounty hunters, as he had been for the past two weeks.

"They are here." Quake strode into the room. "Let's greet them."

Sidewinder slapped her revolver cylinder closed and re-holstered it. Volkan appeared, adjusting his oversized trench coat with long arms awkwardly. Rakic, barechested as usual, muscles glistening, caught his last three boomerangs and entered the room. Slade pushed his hat back, boots slapping the floor as he stood. DC slipped silently into the room. One by one they emerged from the front door.

Down the dirt road, the setting sun behind them, came the four bounty hunters. The townsfolk, and even the Marines, moved well out of their way. Mads Shatterslash was flanked by a man-sized weasel wearing a sword on one side, and on the other a carefree man with little wings on his back and an ugly-looking Fishman with spikes on his forearms and big google eyes. They cast long shadows in the gloaming that seemed to enhance their aura of menace. CP6 knew a great deal about them. They were the most feared pirate hunters on the Grand Line, and for good reason. All of them were monsters, and they functioned well as a tightly knit team. Mads and Lobo were Devil Fruit users, Mads a Paramecia, and Lobo, despite his carefree attitude, a Mythical Zoan user, one of the rarest powers on the sea. His Devil Fruit had, in fact, not been seen in hundreds of years- DC had consulted classified World Government records to find its history. Vison, the Mink, and Sully the Fishman were not Devil Fruit users; as if to counterbalance the weakness of the power holders, were as comfortable underwater as above it. All of them were natural hunters, as comfortable at night as during the day, and all could sense and wield electricity in some fashion. Sully had the best mind for planning ambushes and traps, Lobo loved to tinker and experiment with uses for his electric powers, Mads could provide all the crew with mobility and excelled at coordination on the fly. And Vison… Vison was who had piqued Slade's interest. He wielded a long blade, a bit wider and thicker than a traditional rapier, so he could slash as well as stab, with both a cross guard and swirling knuckle guard, and a long dagger. DC, observing him in battle, claimed it had been a long time since he had seen a swordsman that moved like Vison. Slade's fingers twitched on his sword handles wondering just how fast the kid could be to impress DC.

The members of CP6 stood arrayed to meet them. Quake, Slade, Sidewinder, Rakic, Volkan, and DC. They were the most formidable and versatile lineup in CP6 history, by far. In addition to master of the Six Powers of Rokushiki, each was a expert with a weapon of some kind.

The four pirate hunters stopped at the entrance. Mads yanked a chain. Behind him, initially hidden by his bulky silhouette, were the three prisoners. He flung them forward, tumbling to the ground in front of CP6.

"Here are your prisoners, World Government."

Quake grinned. "Rakic, Volkan, take them. Mads, why don't you and your group come inside, and we will give you your payment and discuss my offer."

Mads considered for a moment. He glanced at Lobo, who shrugged. He turned back to Quake and nodded. Volkan and Rakic grabbed the prisoners and hauled them into a back room, chaining them to the wall. As every pirate was all Devil Fruit users, the Seastone chains made them barely able to stand, let alone resist.

The four pirate hunters sat down at one end of a long table, with CP6 gathered at the other.

"I'll get right down to brass tacks, Mads. I've got an offer for you." Quake paused for effect. "The threat of pirates has risen in the past year, ever since that scum Gol D Roger uttered that nonsense about hiding his treasure on some fictional island at the end of the Grand Line. Business has been booming for you."

Mads said nothing. Quake continued.

"Here's our offer. It's very simple. Keep doing exactly what you are doing now, but we will give you World Government immunity. The Navy will not be able to label you a pirate; you will be considered a World Government authorized privateer. We know how precarious your situation is, currently. The Navy doesn't like powerful rivals on the seas. It's amazing you have been able to continue this long without incurring their ire. But we in the World Government recognize that you are doing a service to law-abiding folk." This was carefully calculated. Being a bounty hunter was a thankless task. Quake was very good at seeing what a man wanted- respect, recognition, a listening ear. It made him a good salesman.

"Truth is, Mads, we wish there were more like you. There are plenty of pirates who would become pirate hunters if given the chance. That's ultimately what we want to do. You, as someone who has remained on the right side of the law, just happen to be a perfect proof of concept. Giving you immunity changes nothing from the World Government's perspective."

Riddell paused. "There is really just one catch. In order to sell the powers that be on this idea, we need to convince them that someone like you, who is not a pirate, but who also has never worked under a chain of command, can be a reliable partner. In other words, I need you to prove you can work with us when we need you to, and that you are strong enough to make a difference in this sea of monsters."

"Now, that doesn't mean we need you to do our bidding at all times. As I said, ultimately we want you to keep doing what you are doing. But we need you to do two things: one, work with us" -here Quake spread his hands to indicate his fellow CP6 members- "and two, eliminate a target of the World Government's choosing. Just once, mind you. After that, you are free to live as you please. And that, Mads, is my offer."

Slade studied the Sabertooth's face as Quake spoke. There was skepticism there, but not open scorn. At length Mads spoke.

"I'm sorry, Riddell. I can't take your offer."

Riddell's grin widened. "May I ask why not?"

"No."

"Of my offer to you, let me assure you: it is guaranteed. Whether I can convert pirates to privateers, that depends. I am fully authorized to make this offer to you, however. How well it works with you will decide whether I can continue this program. So you see," Quake smiled broadly "I need you as much as you need me. No isn't an option, Mads."

"It seems to me that you need us more than we need you." It was Vison who spoke.

The creases around Riddell's grin were like canyons. "You aren't the only strong bounty hunters in the world, swordsman. However, as you say. I am very motivated to make this a success. As to your target: the first one is simple: Redd the Ripper and the giant Sanjuan Wolf, the two most notable pirates of a crew currently wreaking havoc in the West Blue. We will work together with you to bring them down."

"No, we won't. I already told you, I'm not interested in your offer."

Quake's grin was wider than the sea itself. "And I told you, no isn't an option."

Slade could sense the tension rise immediately. Lobo spoke up.

"Let's not get testy, now folks. We've got a beautiful lady present." He was smiling at Sidewinder, practically beaming hearts from his eyes. Sidewinder stared coldly at him.

"Ignore him, ma'am." Vison spoke up. "My colleague is too boorish to consider you are a professional, dangerous woman."

Streling smiled at him and Lobo scowled. "Stop stealing my thunder, you weasel! She doesn't want your flattery!"

Rakic threw back his head and laughed, a deep booming laugh that cut the tension. His voice was heavily accented. "You boys are funny."

CLANG!! Vison's rapier clashed with Slade's katana across the table.

"Let's fight, Slade." Vison dropped those words into the hollow before the metal clash had reverberated fully through the room. "No need for all of us to kill each other here. You and I will duel. If you win, we join your little project. If I win. we walk away as if this conversation never happened."

What had just happened was extraordinary. In a room full of advanced Haki users, all of whom could sense intent, Vison had drawn his sword and swung it at Slade before anyone could react to stop him. That meant he had acted on his intent the very moment he had it. There had been no premeditation. This was the fifth principle of the Eightfold Swordsman's Creed- it was worded in various ways by various schools, but it basically stated "I am become one with my sword", which implied 'action becomes one with awareness'. One did not think about an action, then decide to do it. There was no think, only do.

That was not to say the rest of the room had no reaction. On the contrary, Sidewinder and Quake had revolvers drawn, Sully's eyes were sparking with electricity and Lobo's arm was covered in blue lightning. All of them were ready, on a word, to kill. Only DC and the Sabertooth had remained absolutely still. Mads now reached out and put a heavy hand on Vison's shoulder.

"My swordsman is too impulsive. But he has a point. If we fight here, Quake, we might as well declare ourselves pirates, and you might as well be dead."

Quake leaned back in his chair slightly, the Haki still humming around his fist. He looked at Slade, then looked at Vison, then back at Slade, debating whether to gamble his future on Slade's ability to beat another notorious swordsman.

Slade spoke up. "It's alright. Let me entertain this young pup. It's been a minute since a swordsman challenged me to a duel." He could sense the Mink's Electro through the crossed blades, and felt his own pulse quicken. A feeling he had missed, the thrill of anticipation, rose in his stomach. He could see the sheer exuberance in Vison's eyes. Here was someone who lived for combat.

Warily, CP6 put down their guns. Everyone filed outside and Slade and Vison took up positions in a field of dandelions. Slade drew both his blades, Ringil and Coldstar. He spun them in the light of the setting sun. Vison slashed Malgré in a low sweep, severing six dandelion heads. He faced Coburn, each taking their stance. Coburn's katanas were crossed in front of him like an X. Vison's long blade was held in front of him, with his dagger by his jawline.

"I've wanted to meet you for a long time, Slade."

"Oh? Consider yourself well met."

Vison closed the space between them like a shot. His body uncoiled like a leafspring, driving his rapier towards Slade's face.

I know what I must do

Slade brought Ringil up, parrying the thrust across Vison's body. Now he was outside Vison's shoulders. In the same motion, he swung Coldstar across himself, aiming at Vison's exposed head.

I am fully present in this moment

Slade executed the counter perfectly, but Vison's head was no longer there. At the last moment he leaned back, avoiding the slash by inches. He leapt back, out of range.

This is exactly difficult enough

Slade and Vison regarded each other across a gap far wider than most swordsmen would have been comfortable with. He's fast, thought Slade. Very fast.

"It's been a while since someone blocked my thrust." commented Vison

"It's been a while since someone avoided my counter." Rejoined Slade

Control without controlling

For fun, Slade swung his blades down in opposing diagonal arcs, cutting the air and sending an X-shaped slash through the air at Vison. The Mink vanished from its path, reappearing six feet to one side, and launched another thrust at Slade.

Effortless effort

Slade parried again, deflecting upward with Coldstar this time. He stepped in as he blocked with Ringil, aiming to stab Vison in the stomach. Vison blocked the attack with his dagger. Slade swept Vison, pushing one way with his blades and the other with his foot. The Mink dropped and rolled backwards. Slade raised his blades and brought them down, and Vison, rolling to his feet, had no choice but to block him head on this time instead of dodging.

Timeless time

The instant their blades clashed felt like an eternity compressed into a moment. That was how good swordplay was. When life was on the line, it was as if time itself lost its inexorable cadence. Slade felt his Haki, his willpower, with that of Vison, projected into their respective swords, striving against the other.

My consciousness is become my sword

Vison, at a mechanical disadvantage, was blown backwards by the force of Slade's blow, his claws tearing up grass and dandelions as he slid. He looked at Slade then, and Slade felt the piercing gaze of a rival hunter, a rival killer, and he stared back, unblinking. Then Vison exploded in a series of attacks, and Coburn found himself in the eye of a storm of swordplay.

The fight is its own reward


End file.
